Rounding machine



May 2o, 1941 A 'BARTQN 2,2423110 ROUNDING MACHINE I Fild march 25, 1940 d u .ii I E o2. j: y:

diie l ,SEEE y s yl/EA/TDH' WM @475% y@ K Patented May 20, 1941 otro ROUNDING MACHINE New Jersey Application lMarch 23, 1940, Serial No. 325,637 In Great Britain April 6, 1939 13 Claims.

of such material as `compressed sheet-fiber, and

a metal shank-stifener located between the in,- sole and the reinforcing piece. lThe constituent parts of `such a unit may be assembled and molded to conform to the desired last-bottom- 4shape by the shoe-manufacturer by whom it is Hto be utilized. Hitherto, it has been a common practice for such reinforcing pieces to be cut to vshape by dies, and as in a large shoe-factory insoles may be employed of many different sizes and shapes, it has been necessary for the factory,

in order that it may have reinforcing pieces to t all the insoles that may be used, to have `-a large4v number of dies, if the pieces are cut out in the factory, or to carry a stock of many difierent sizes and shapes of such pieces, if these are purchased already out to shape. To avoid the maintenance of considerable stocks of cutting dies or ready-shaped reinforcing pieces, it has been proposed to shape the pieces by the use of a machine of the well known Planet-type, in

which the blank to be operated on is held by a clamp against a pattern of peripheral shape corresponding to that which is to be imparted to the reinfoncing piece, and in which a knife is moved in a path controlled by the pattern to effect the formation of the pielce. Diii'iculties have, however, been met in ensuring the desired accurate location of the blank uponthe pattern. It is an object of the present invention to provide the machine, in animproved manner, with means for positioning a blank upon a pattern while it is being rounded to the shape of a reinforcing piece. To attain this object, 4there is `means extending through the pattern and by which the blank to be cut is located both longitudinally and transversely, with little effort on the part of the operator. With a blank recessed at one extremity, the locating means may enter the recess and may be in the form of a projection rising from a support for the pattern, this projection preferably ybeing yieldabla The .yieldability of the projection or blank-gaging means permitsV blanks of .different thicknessesor z' a plurality of blanks, to be engaged yupon the pattern by the rco-operating clamping member without interference. This clamping member of ,a rounding machine generally extends yfor the full length of the pattern, and since blanks of the character above indicated reach only to a point near the gaging projection, a filler-plate may be carried by the pattern between the projection and the opposite extremity of said pattern to give the proper bearing of the clamping member upon the work. The Vprojection is shown herein as passing through an opening in the pattern and as variable in position upon the support, so it may be caused to register with openings in the patterns employed for rounding blanks differing in dimensions. As illustrated, the projection is in the form of a plunger and its mounting is in two sections, one of which is movable upon the support, as rectilinearly, and the other upon its companion, as angularly. Both sections may be retained frictionally by spring-actuated means in their adjusted positions for ready manipulation by the operator.

The above and other objects of the invention will 'become clear from the description of one construction, and in which the several features of the invention are embodied in convenient illustrative forms. By the use of such a machine, one or a plurality lor reinforcing pieces may be formed, or, if desired, may be shaped at the same time as an insole.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the illustrative construction in pla'ce on a machine of the Planettype;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View along the line II-II of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a pattern.

By way of example, it will be assumed that it is desired to produce reinforcing pieces shaped substantially as shown in the previously mentioned patent, each having at the center vof its forward end a notch in which, in the finished unit, the forward end of the metal shank-stiffener will lie. It will be assumed that there is provided a supply of blanks from which the pieces are to be formed, all of the same size, or of a small number of sizes, and each having at one end a notch ofthe kind just referred to. Each reinforcing piece blank is slightly greater in length and width than the largest sized reinforcing piece to be cut therefrom.

To enable a blank to be shaped in the Planet rounder, the machine is provided with a pattern I land means forsuitablypositioning alblank' or against the upper walls 8 of the guideway. These nuts also form supports for the pattern. In the pattern is a hole I3 in such a position as to lie just beneath the notch in a blank positioned on the pattern ready for shaping. The dot-dash line I5 in Fig. 3 indicates the outline of the forward notched end of such a blank when in this position. The plunger 3 passes through the hole I3 and engages the notch or notches of ,a blank or pile of such blanks, when placed on the pattern ready for shaping. Its operation will be described hereinafter with reference to a. single blank only, though it is tobe appreciated that it may be used in connection with a plurality of blanks. 'Ihe plunger 3 positions the blank both longitudinally and laterally on the pattern. After said blank has, been thus correctly located, it is clamped in such position by the usual plate I6. The portion of the plunger projecting above the top surface of the blank is engaged by the clamp and is depressed thereby, though retaining engagement with the notch in the blank until and after said blank is firmly clamped. Thus, chance of the blank being displaced from its correct position for shaping is wholly or substantially eliminated. A small area of the blank will project marginally beyond the edge of the corresponding portion of the pattern. After the clamping, the machine will be operated in the customary way, the k'nife traveling about the pattern to cut the blank to the required shape.

To enable the usual clamping plate to be used in the machine, a packing plate or filler I'I, of a thickness at least substantially equal to that of the blank or pile of blanks, is mounted upon the forward part of the pattern. This plate is re-` tained in position by two pins I9 fixed in it and received in holes in the pattern. Upper surfaces of the packing plate and blanks placed on .the pattern will thus be substantially coplanar.

'Ihe spring-pressed plunger and its mounting means will now be described in detail. A block 2| of inverted T-shape in cross-section is slidably mounted in the guideway 'I and has a pin 23 rising from its middle portion. About the pin 23 is loosely mounted one end of a horizontal plate 25, the other end of which has a vertical cylindrical post 21 with a vertical passage 28 extending concentrically through its height. An upper portion of the passage is of less diameter than the remainder, a small shoulder 3U thus being formed near its upper end. The plate 25 is retained on the pin 23 by a spring-washer 29, which engages an upper surface of the plate and the under surface of the lower one of two locknuts 32 threaded on the upper portion of the pin. The plate and its cylindrical portion are thus allowed to be rotated around the pin 23 against a resisting force provided by the spring-washer, which force may be adjusted by altering the position of the lock-nuts on the pin. 'Ihe plate 25 is of such a width thatportions 34 extend outwardly beyond each side of the block 2l. These extending portions'of the plate 25 are pressed downwardly into contactwiththe upper faceof the block 9 by the spring-washer 29, in such 'a way as to resist frictional movement of the block in the guideway 1.

Arranged for vertical sliding movement in the passage 28 is the plunger 3 having an enlarged lower end 36 which engages the shoulder 3U when the plunger is in its uppermost position. This engagement prevents the plunger from upward displacement from the bore. The portion 3B of the plunger is recessed to receive an upper end .of an expansion-spring 3l in the passage 28, the

lower vend of which spring engages a screw 33 threaded into the passage to retain the spring and to provide a thrust-surface therefor. .This spring'thus urges the plunger upwardly. 'I'he plunger is brought into alinement with the hole I3 in any one of the various patterns through which it is to pass, by sliding the block 2I along the guideway I and turning the plate 25 around the pin 23 until the plunger is in the correct position. This relation is maintained for both adjustments during the application of the pattern by the spring-washer 29. The plunger is of such a length as to extend through the pattern sufliciently to allow engagement between said plunger and the notches in a pile of blanks containing the maximum number which may be shaped satisfactorily at one operation of the machine. When the clamp I6 of the machine is lowered to grip the work on the pattern I, the plunger will be pressed downwardly againstthe action of its spring to permit the clamp to engage the work properly.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a rounding machine, a pattern arranged for engagement with a blank, means extending through rthe pattern and by which said blank is located both longitudinally and transversely of the pattern, and means co-operating with the pattern and by which the thus located blank is cut.

2. In a machine for rounding blanks recessed at one extremity, a pattern arranged to support a blank, and blank-locating means extending through @the pattern to enter the recess in the blank, and means co-operafting with the pattern and by which the thus located `blank is cut.

3. In a blank-rounding machine, a support, a pattern removably mounted upon the support and provided with an opening, and a projection rising from the support through the pattern-opening and arranged to engage the forward edge of a blank resting upon the pattern.

4. In a blank-rounding machine, a support, a pattern removably mounted upon the support and provided with an opening, a projection rising from the support through the pattern-opening and arranged ,Ito engage the forward extremity of a blank resting upon the pattern, and a llerplate carried by fthe pattern between the projection and one end of said pattern.

5. In a blank-rounding machine, a support, a pattern removably mounted upon the support and provided with an opening, and a, yieldable blank-locating projection rising from the support through thev pattern-opening and arranged to engage the forward extremity of a blank resting upon 'the pattern.

6. In a blank-rounding machine, a pattern arranged to support a blank, and a blank-locating plunger associated with the pattern and being yieldable through its blank-engaging surface.`

7. In'a blank-rounding machine, aA supporta pattern removably mounted'upon the support and provided with an opening, a projection variable in position upon the support and rising through the pattern-opening, and means for retaining the projection in its adjusted position.

8. In a blank-rounding machine, a support, a pattern carried by the support, a gage member (zo-operating with the pattern, and a mounting for the gage member movable upon the support both rectilinearly and angularly.

9. In a blank-rounding machine, a support, a pattern carried by the support, a gage member cao-operating with the pattern, a mounting for the gage member movable upon the support, and spring-actuated means for frictionally retaining the gage member in the position to which it is moved.

10. In a blank-rounding machine, a support, a pattern carried by the suppont and having an opening, a gage member extending through the pattern-opening, and a mounting for the gage member having two sections, one movable upon the support and the other movable upon the companion-section to provide for registration of the gage member with the openings of all pattems.

11.`In a blank-rounding machine, a support provided with Ways, a pattern carried removably by the support and having an opening, a block movable inthe support-Ways, a pla-te arranged to turn upon the block, and a projectionfrom the plate extending through the pattern-openlng.

12. In `a blank-rounding machine, a support provided With Ways, a pattern carried removably by the support and having an opening, a block movable in the support-Ways, a plate arranged to turn upon ithe block, a projection from the plate extending through the pattern-opening, and a spring for retaining both the block and plate in position.

13. In a blank-rounding machine, a support provided with Ways, a pattern carried removably by the support and having an opening, a block movable in the support-Ways, a plate arranged 20 to turn upon the block, and a plunger yieldable upon the plate and extending through the pattern-opening.

' WILLIAM ARTHUR BARTON. 

